


Eternity

by F1_rabbit



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Immortality, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-17
Updated: 2016-03-17
Packaged: 2018-05-26 22:18:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6257977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/F1_rabbit/pseuds/F1_rabbit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nico was born without a heartbeat, it used to be common, but as time went on he was sure that he was the last immortal left.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Eternity

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Madleane](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madleane/gifts).



For a long time, no-one knew why some people grew old and died, and others seemed to be immortal, trapped forever in the body of their eighteen year old self as though time had no effect on them.

Then as science advanced, people realised that those who didn't age, were the ones whose hearts didn't beat. The pattern seemed unclear, they had no idea what triggered someone's heart to start beating and it appeared to be random. Some people were going to live forever, and others doomed to a mere sixty years of life.

It was a cruel joke, a quirk of fate but Nico wasn't concerned with that, he was happy with his existence, never having to worry about illness or death. He wouldn't change it for the world.

***

A few years later Nico saw the horror of never aging, the torment of having to see those that you love age. His mother started coughing one day, they dismissed it at first but then she started coughing blood, and she wasn't the only one in the village.

Nico could only watch as his family died, the plague claimed so many lives and all he could do was pray to god that they would spare his family. But they weren't listening, and within a month there was nothing left of his family, he was the last to bear the family name. The only remaining Hülkenberg.

***

Esteban had spent millennia roaming the earth. There used to be lots like him, but as the centuries passed the numbers of people with cold skin seemed to drop until it was just him. All alone.

He'd spent years travelling the world, trying to find out why he was different, why there was no-one like him anymore. Esteban had spent years watching people, and more and more babies were born with a heartbeat, born mortal. He remembered a time when everyone was born without a heartbeat, only later in life would it begin to beat, but his never did.

After his family passed he watched over their children, and their children, until people started to ask questions about why he was the way he was. They didn't remember a time when everyone was like him, and they grew suspicious of him. That was when he knew that he had to leave his home in search of answers. He was sure that he had become a thing of legend, a story that people told about the man that never died, he just kept on living.

Esteban had given up hope that he would ever find another like him, it appeared that mortality was contagious, people now living closer together, always touching each other. That was why he'd never caught the disease, never aged.

After that realisation, he lived a life of solitude, not wanting to ever be mortal, keeping himself away from crowded areas. Although it seemed like there were people everywhere now.

He hid himself away in libraries around the world, any place where there was knowledge and peace. That was where he came across an old folk tale that resonated with him.

A story about a race of people who were cursed to roam the earth for all eternity, unless they found their true love. It had originated in Europe in the high middle ages, but become less popular after the great plague. Which wasn't surprising, immortality would have felt like a dream rather than a curse at that time.

It felt different to all the other legends about vampires or creatures that wandered through graveyards, the dead risen from their graves.

But did that mean that there were others like him still walking about there? It felt like much longer ago than that when there was people like him still around in the Americas. Long before they were known as the Americas definitely, before the Spanish had come to Mexico.

Esteban spent days copying it all down, the librarian was eagle eyed and would have noticed him stealing it. At least now he had a destination, somewhere to head to. Europe.

***

Five hundred years had passed, and Nico got to travel the world, to visit new places. So much had changed and yet people were still the same, concerned only with their own lives, rather than the advancement of the human race. That had been left to the immortals, not that any of the mortals would ever know that.

Nico had no time for any of that, getting close to mortals was only asking for more pain, and there seemed to be fewer and fewer immortals but an ever increasing number of mortals. They were everywhere, villages of long ago had expanded, buildings sprawling out over the country, joined by rails and roads.

He could always spot the mortals, with their warm skin, full of colour. Their eyes looked alive, unlike his glassy ones, the whites unnaturally so and the pale blue irises watery compared to the mortals.

At first, when he didn't age he thought it was a blessing, but now it felt like a curse. The smell of food was so alluring, so tempting, but when he ate, he tasted nothing. He had enjoyed the company of other people in the past, immortal and mortal alike, but he always felt like there was something missing. Although it had been a long time since he'd seen another immortal.

Nico was strolling through the market, the smell of bread and spices in the air, masking the smell of the mortals. He was looking for someone to sell him a pair of shoes, ones that would enable him to walk all the way to the Far East, he'd not been there in a while and he was interested to see how it had changed. Especially since Europe was starting to look more and more similar as cities spread and industry grew.

He'd even considered going home, to Emmerich, but there were no happy memories there, so it was best left in the past.

Nico strolled through the streets, he'd stopped finding the change in clothing remarkable, although he'd become the master of blending in. He was wearing a heavy wool suit and he had large mutton chop sideburns, they weren't for him, but everyone else had them and he didn't want to stand out.

He turned down an alley to see a man standing there, dark hair flowing out from under his hat, but there was something about his eyes that Nico found familiar. He was immortal. After all these years, centuries, of searching he'd found another like him.

They stared at each other, aware of their connection but before either of them could say a word, the stranger took off down the alley. Nico ran after him, trying to work out where he had gone but the lane led back to the marketplace and there were people everywhere, all mortals. There was no sign of his immortal friend.

Nico spend days wandering the streets of Copenhagen, wondering what he should do next, hoping to catch a glimpse of the mysterious stranger, but there was no such luck.

Just as he was about to admit defeat, carry on roaming in his quest to travel the world, he saw a familiar face milling around the harbour, getting ready to board a ship.

Nico rushed down towards the dock, he ran towards them, pushing people out of the way as he called out for them to stop, but it was no use, by the time he got there, the boat was pulling out of the harbour.

"Do you know where the boat is heading?" Nico asked a stranger, and they looked at him with suspicion, he knew that he didn't look human, not in the way they expected.

"They're off to the new world." The man looked at him with fear in his eyes and Nico knew that it was his cue to leave, he mumbled his thanks before taking off into the crowd.

He had to figure out a way to get to America, but it wasn't going to be easy. That didn't matter though, he had all the time in the world to find his fellow immortal, and he wasn't going to forget those eyes in a hurry, he would recognise them anywhere.

***

Seventy years passed and Nico hadn't seen a single glimpse of his mystery man. It appeared that if there were still other immortals left, they were all in hiding. But Nico didn't want that life, cut off from everyone, so he tried to hide in plain sight, thick glasses obscured his eyes and he joked a lot about being from a cold country, although since the war, he never mentioned that he was German, only from Europe. He knew with his blond hair and blue eyes he could pass for any of the northern European countries, and his years of travelling had left him with a vast and extensive knowledge of different languages.

Which is how he'd ended up working as a professor of languages at the University of California, he liked being by the sea, and it was where he'd ended up after making his way to the United States. It had taken him a couple of decades to make his way here, and by the time he had, things were starting to change. People wanted to see forms of identification, papers, and although they were easy to forge, he knew that there was going to be a time when he had to disappear in the near future.

Nico spent every day wondering what the man with the brown eyes was up to, the one that had fled. He still couldn't understand why he didn't want to connect with another like him. That was all that Nico longed for, someone who knew his secret, so that he didn't have to lie to everyone. Just one person, that wasn't too much to ask. Was it?

He was sipping at his coffee, reading through applications for next years' students when he saw a photo that made him drop everything, even his coffee cup.

Nico was wiping splatters of coffee off his shirt when a student wandered in, and Nico put the file in a drawer, he would have time to deal with it later.

Once Nico left work, he got in his car and started to head towards San Jose. The address in the file wasn't far away, and he knew that this was his best chance that he would get to see his mystery man again. Esteban.

Nico pulled up outside a small detached house, identical to all of its neighbours apart from superficial details. He marvelled at the Americans, laying out everything in a grid system, making everything from scratch rather than having to live with the mess of streets and alleys like there was in Europe. Not that Nico had been there in a while, so maybe it had changed, but he doubted it.

He felt nervous about approaching Esteban, what was he going to say that didn't make him sound crazy? Although if Esteban was really like him, he wouldn't have to explain, he would just know. But why did he want to find him? Was it simply so that he would have someone to talk to? Someone who would understand? Or was there something deeper? Were they the last two of their race, while humans swarmed around them in ever greater numbers?

Nico didn't have answers to any of those questions, they had been swimming around inside his head for centuries and now he had found someone who might have answers to them. At least together they stood a better chance of working out why they were like they were.

If he was being honest with himself, even if Esteban had no answers, it would be nice not to be alone anymore. Every day he saw people, spent time with them, but none of them knew the real person hiding under the mask. He just wanted someone to see him for who he was.

Nico stuffed Esteban's file into his briefcase and took a deep breath, it was a strange thing to do when considering he didn't breathe, but it was calming and that was the important thing. He ran his fingers through his hair, checking his reflection in the mirror before heading towards the door.

The door sounded hollow, like it was just for show, although if he was immortal he wouldn't have to worry about people breaking in. One of the first things Nico learned, was that possessions weren't important, there was no point hoarding more than that which he needed. They were only a burden.

With travelling so much, Nico had learned the art of packing the essentials although clothes were so much lighter these days. He remembered the days when furs and hides were the norm and they were not only bulky, but smelly. Nico was glad that all that was in the past.

There was no sound from inside the house, but Nico had travelled to be here so he knocked one more time, and that was when he heard the sound of movement inside the house.

Esteban opened the door, but when he saw that it was Nico he slammed the door in his face.

"You can't be here," Esteban yelled through the door.

"I know that you're like me." Nico didn't want to say too much, anyone could be listening and he was sure that it wouldn't end well for them. "I just want to talk to you."

There was the sound of something bumping against the door, Esteban resting his forehead against it. The blond haired man had found him, after all these years. He had convinced himself that he must have been mistaken, that he couldn't have possibly seen another like him, that it was a trick of his mind and nothing more.

But here he was, over seventy years later and thousands of miles away standing on his front doorstep wanting to talk to him.

He didn't know what to do, he wanted to talk to the stranger, finally have someone to tell all his stories to without thinking that he was crazy. Have company after all these years alone. Although was being mortal worth that?

Tears ran down his face and he let out big sobs, crumpled on the floor as he cried it all out.

"Please don't cry. It's been so long since I've seen anyone like me." Nico thought about crouching down to speak through the keyhole, but it would only look suspicious. "I know this is strange, but I only want to talk."

Esteban couldn't believe how soft and gentle the voice was, and how much he felt a connection to this man, even though they didn't know each other. Was it because they were both like each other? Or were the folk tales true? Was the reason that they were still alive after all these years simply because they'd never found their love?

Did this mean that they were destined to be together?

It was all too much for Esteban and he dragged himself to his feet. "I'm sorry, I can't deal with this."

He heard the man yelling at his door, begging him just to give him a chance, some time to explain, but he couldn't face the idea of giving up his life. Trading in immortality for sixty years seemed like a bad deal, no matter how handsome and softly spoken his prince charming was.

Nico pleaded with Esteban to give him a chance, he considered screaming but he didn't want to scare him and without any other ideas, he slunk back to his car, unsure of what to do next. He was so excited to find Esteban, that he hadn't considered the possibility that Esteban wouldn't be happy to see him.

He rested his head against the steering wheel, cursing a universe that would do this to him. Living forever was one thing, and although it had its drawbacks, he'd found it to be advantageous. But living alone; forced to wander the earth seeking others like him, only able to find one in over quarter of a century, that was an unimaginable torture.

He was starting to suspect that they were the only two of their kind left, so he couldn't understand why Esteban didn't want to talk to him.

As much as he didn't want to leave, he wanted to respect Esteban's wishes, so he wrote his details on a piece of paper, and slid it under the door. He hoped that Esteban would want to talk to him but he wasn't the sort of person to force him to spend time with him. They would run across each other again in the future, he was sure of that, for there would come a time in the future where they were the only ones left on earth.

***

Nico had gone back to Esteban's house the next day, knocked on the door but there was no answer. He peered through the windows and the place looked deserted. Nico had crept round to the back of the house, climbed in through an unlocked window, but when he got inside, there was no sign of Esteban.

It was a shock, realising that Esteban had packed up and left in the night, rather than talk to him. The place was deserted, only the furniture remained and Nico checked through the few books that were left to see if he could find any clue about where Esteban might have gone. But there was nothing.

A few weeks later he received a letter, postmarked Brazil, it was far enough away that by the time Nico got there Esteban could be long gone. And it was such a big country that there was no way of knowing where he was in the country.

Nico opened the letter using a letter opener, rather than his normal method of tearing it open, scared in case he damaged any of it and lost anything that Esteban wanted to say to him. He unfolded the sheet of paper, the feeling of anticipation building as it expanded out to reveal the most beautiful handwriting.

 

_Dearest Nico,_

_I am sorry that I could not talk to you today, but I fear that if we meet in person we may inadvertently cause each other to be mortal, and I am not ready for that, not yet._

_That was why I ran all those years ago, I was not prepared to give up this life then, and I am still not willing to do it today. I know it must be hard for you. You are the only one like me that I have seen in nearly half a century. I fear that others like us have either become mortal, or gone into hiding so that they cannot be made mortal. Either way, you may be the only other person like me that I ever come across._

_I do want to get to know you, but from a safe distance, until I am sure that you understand the gravity of our situation. Many years ago I discovered an old folk tale in a scholar's library, it told of a legend where there was a race of people who were cursed to roam the earth for all eternity, until they found their true love. Only then would their hearts beat and their soul know its kindred spirit._

_I know most folk lore is fantasy, stories told to entertain and educate, but this one reminded me of a time centuries ago, when I was younger. I have enclosed a copy of the story, in English, for your perusal, and I am interested to know if it reminds you of your early years._

_I would like to know your story, and I would like to tell you mine. It has been so long since I was able to talk truthfully to another soul, and I feel a connection to you already._

_I believe correspondence by letter would be an agreeable solution and I look forward to your response._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Esteban Gutiérrez_

_P.s. The address enclosed is not my home address, please do not try to find me. Not yet._

 

Nico read it all; the letter, the folk tale, with tears in his eyes. Did this mean that Esteban felt something more for him? Did he think that they were destined to be lovers? But was that worth giving up his immortal life for?

All the things that he had seen over the years, the wonders that he could never have imagined as a boy, they were an amazing gift that no mortal would ever experience. Nico wanted to know what would come, what wonderful things lay ahead of them, and as much as having company would be a blessing after all this time alone, it was a huge sacrifice.

He had never felt this conflicted, never longed for something he couldn't have, time had always given him a way to get what he wanted in the end, as long as he was patient. But it appeared that if he wanted to be with Esteban, he was going to have to pay for it with his life.

***

Several years passed and Nico was in regular contact with Esteban, their letters sent without anyone else ever knowing what was in them. Nico kept them all locked away, as did Esteban, they weren't the sort of thing that they would want prying eyes to find. Although it was easily passed off as a joke between scholars, showing off their historical knowledge in a fanciful way.

Nico thought of himself as old, but it seemed that Esteban had been around for millennia, rather than the mere hundreds of years that he himself had been around for. He told him of a time when people like them were worshipped as gods, but then their numbers started to decline and they started to be a thing of legend, now discredited as the wild imagination of an uncultured civilization.

He wondered if there were stories told of him, but he left not long after his family passed, and he was sure that he was one of the last to be born immortal. After the great plague he would have known if there were others, since there were so few mortals left.

Nico was sipping at his coffee, thinking about marking student papers but he found himself writing a letter to Esteban, it had been a while since he had heard from him, but that was common when they were dealing with correspondence over such long distances.

He had told Esteban about what happened to his family, and he cried as he wrote it. Although it was so long ago, the pain of losing them had never diminished. He was aware that he would have had to watch them perish long ago, but he had wanted them to pass peacefully rather than the violent deaths that were their fate.

Esteban said that he couldn't remember his parents' names, or his siblings, and that there was no-one left that spoke his native language, it had disappeared into the abyss of time, nothing written down for scholars to pour over and study, like some of the extinct languages.

Although Nico was aware that German had changed a lot from the language that he spoke as a boy, it was still intrinsically the same, and that brought him comfort in his darkest days, that his history was not forgotten.

He couldn't imagine not remembering his beginnings, and yet he knew that day would come, when he couldn't remember his sister's name, when modern German was so far removed from the language he called his own.

 

_Dearest Esteban,_

_I find myself longing to be with you, to see your warm brown eyes that caught my attention all those years ago. I want to listen to you as you tell me the story of your life, rather than merely read it._

_I long for affection rather than the casual encounters that my life is filled with. I know that you are the one who would be able to set my soul alight, consume me with your love._

_Even though it would mean giving up immortality, I feel even one year with you would be more wonderful than the rest of eternity without you._

Nico scrunched up the paper, he had promised Esteban friendship and now he was professing his undying love for him. The only thing worse than not being able to have Esteban with him physically, would be not having him at all.

He ended up writing a letter telling him all about his adventures to the Far East, the amazing culture that he found there, and how he walked across from Russia to Alaska in the winter, before walking all the way down the west coast of the United States of America until he found a place to call home, somewhere warm by the beach. A place to rest and stay while the rest of the world was at war.

It hadn't taken him long to acquire the necessary documents to prove he was allowed to be here, and his skills had led him to use his talents for profitable ends, to be able to share his love of languages. And for a while, feel less alone.

But the respite had been only temporary, students came and went, as did fellow faculty members, and Nico found himself trapped in a condensed version of the loop that he had been stuck in all his life. People coming and going, while Nico stayed the same, unable to truly connect with any of them.

Just as he was thinking about leaving, moving somewhere new, that was when Esteban's file had crossed his desk, and he had felt an excitement that he hadn't felt in a long while.

Nico found himself recounting every detail of their first meeting all those years ago, and how he felt when he saw Esteban's picture in the student application file. How he'd spent the entire day wanting to walk out of his classes, get in the car and drive to meet him. How every second that he'd stood on his doorstep felt like eternity to him, and when he'd slammed the door in his face, he felt the most excruciating pain that he had ever experienced. The pain of rejection.

The letter was thick when he stuffed it into the envelope and he hurried down to the post office, aware that it wouldn't change when Esteban received the letter, or influence when he replied, but he wanted to know that it was on its way to him, a good faith gesture to a universe that seemed to want them to be together.

***

War broke out in Europe, again, and Nico feared the worst for his home continent. The letters that he sent to Esteban were all returned undelivered, and Nico knew that he had a hard decision to make.

Part of him wanted to stay here, wait for Esteban to return when it was all over, but another bigger part of him was nagging him about all those mortal lives that were going to be lost, and what he could do to save them. He was sure the reason that Esteban was no longer in Spain was because he had joined the war effort, he had spoken often about how he felt a duty to the mortals.

Nico didn't feel obliged to them in the same way, but when he looked at himself in the mirror, really looked himself in the eye, he knew that he wanted to be the man who would fight for the mortals, who would step up and defend the weak and the oppressed. So he resigned from his job, and headed back to Europe for the first time in nearly a century.

He wondered how things had changed, and if he would have been able to stop whatever horror had led to this war if only he'd stayed there, rather than roaming the world on his own selfish adventures, not caring about the mortals or the world that he had to share with them.

***

After the war, Nico didn't know where to go, he had seen no sign of Esteban and he wasn't going to be able to walk back into his old life. That was gone. He'd overstayed his welcome, before he left people were starting to ask why he didn't look any older in the ten years that he'd been there. Nico had joked that it was clean living, but he knew that if people became suspicious it wouldn't end well for him, so maybe it was best they all assumed that he died in the war.

He went to Copenhagen, the place where they first saw each other, but after weeks spent wandering the city, there was no sign of him. Nico had shown the tatty picture of Esteban to anyone who would listen, it was the only photo he had of him, and even though it was only twenty-five years old, technology had moved on and it was starting to look dated. But it was Nico's most treasured possession, and apart from the clothes on his back, his only possession.

A few years passed and Nico had roamed the continent, not sure where to head next, he started making his way back to America, he would wander around Berkley and San Jose, see if Esteban had decided to return to where they saw each other last, and he could head down to Mexico after that. Esteban still spoke fondly of his home country, even though it was very different to when he was born.

Nico had been there once, sometime around the 1700s but he couldn't say for sure. It was at times like this that he wished he'd kept a record of everywhere he'd been, everything that he had done and seen. But it would have been too bulky to travel with it all, so it would have been in vain.

He wished that there had been photography when he was a boy, that he could have taken pictures of his family, at least that way he would have something to remember them by.

Nico had started writing letters to Esteban again, but not posting them, he would save them all up for when he saw him next.

He told Esteban all about the people that he helped during the war, sharing only the good memories, letting the rest disappear into the mists of time. Nico didn't want his mind filled with the horrors of war.

He watched as the world transformed at an alarming rate right in front of his eyes, travel became easier, and cheaper, but with the increased mobility, Nico was sure that it would be even more difficult to find Esteban. It would be easy to miss each other now that they could travel quickly. And the population seemed to be growing at an exponential rate. There were so many people, and Nico spent all his time studying faces in the crowds, hoping that one day Esteban would be there.

***

Years passed, the war now used as a marker for Nico to judge time by. That was worse somehow, knowing how many years it had been precisely made time drag. And he had nothing but time.

With the increased scrutiny on documents, they were harder to fake and more difficult to get hold of. And with the rise of video surveillance Nico started to feel like hiding would be his best option. He was aware that his pale skin and dead looking eyes made him stand out from the crowd, which was the exact opposite of what he wanted.

He ended up in Britain, hitchhiking all the way. It was raining and he wasn't really dressed for the weather, although he couldn't die of hypothermia, so it didn't really matter if he was cold now, it would pass, just like everything else did. Nico was wandering along the path by a busy road, thumb out in vain, when a man pulled up in an old Mercedes, it was in good condition for its age and Nico scurried up to the window.

"Where are you heading, pal?" The driver asked and Nico wasn't sure if he should name a place or tell the truth.

"Anywhere that's dry." Nico laughed, and the man smiled back in return. He was equally pale skinned, and his eyes seemed glazed over, although after a long drive that was probably normal. Nico was sure that he was human, but he looked like an immortal.

"Sure, hop in."

Nico threw his bag in the back seat before sliding into the car, glad to be out of the rain. His glasses steamed up as the warm air hit them and he tried to dry them on his soaking wet t-shirt before giving up and accepting his blurry vision.

His vision was equally blurry without, one of the many wonders of the modern age was the ability to fix these afflictions that were seen as 'god's will' only a few centuries earlier.

"Thank you." Nico never failed to be amazed by human kindness, it seemed like as the world grew, it would be in short supply.

"What's your name? I'm Paul." He smiled and it put Nico at ease, he lived with the idea that he had to cut himself off from the mortals in order to have a quiet life. But with Esteban gone for now, it had been a few lonely decades that he had spent on his own, only his letters to keep him company.

Nico thought about lying, again, but it seemed too much effort for a short journey. "Nico."

"I'm heading up to Scotland, just say if you want out before then." Paul laughed and Nico wasn't sure that he'd ever been to Scotland before. With a lack of any better plan, he would just see where this took him.

He got the whole story from Paul on the journey, how his dad had passed away and he was going to take over the pub that he owned, that his dad had left to him. Paul offered Nico a job, and he accepted, the need to be paid under the table seemed to go unsaid, although the fact that he was hitchhiking in the first place said a lot about how he didn't really have a place in this world.

"What about you? Where are you from originally?" Paul asked, his eyes not leaving the road as the windscreen wipers fought a losing battle with the rain.

"Germany originally, but I've lived all over." Nico knew that his answer was vague, but he didn't know where to start. In the end he told Paul that he had no family, nowhere to go, so he was trying to see as much of the world as possible. It was technically the truth, just not in the way that Paul could imagine.

He told him about a few of the far flung places that he'd been, avoiding talking about anywhere that Paul might have been, or anything that would give away how long ago he'd visited these places. There was something about Paul's soft voice that had him talking freely in a way he hadn't since he'd lost contact with Esteban, and he accidentally told him that his family were dead.

"Car accident." Nico felt awkward telling Paul a real lie, not just a carefully worded truth that was designed to give the wrong impression. But a family dying of the plague, that would ring alarm bells. Not necessarily give away that he was immortal but definitely warn Paul that he was crazy.

"I'm sorry." Paul rested his hand on Nico's knee, offering comfort and Nico felt tears stream down his face, he hadn't realised how much he had pushed all these things away, and now, they were all surfacing with a vengeance.

By the time they pulled up around the back of the pub it was late, and Nico's tears had dried, unlike his clothes which were warm but still damp.

Paul opened the door and there was a musty smell to the place, like it had been empty for a while but it was clean and tidy. He showed him around the small flat above the pub, there was only one bedroom, but there was a sofa in the living room, which looked like it would be just big enough for Nico to sleep on for a few nights, until he found something else. He didn't want to burden Paul.

All of Nico's clothes were soaked, his rucksack had failed to protect them from the rain, and Paul found him some clothes out of his suitcase. Nico was worried that he might have to wear his late father's clothes which would have been awkward, but wearing Paul's clothes was an acceptable solution.

"I'll put them in the wash so they're clean and dry for the morning." Paul said as he gathered them up, and Nico was glad that everything important to him was stored in a hidden compartment, in a plastic bag, so that no-one could accidentally find them.

"Thank you." Nico wasn't sure what he could do to show his gratitude, but those two words seemed inadequate for expressing just how grateful he was for Paul's kindness.

"You're welcome to share the bed if you want." Paul seemed indifferent to the suggestion, and Nico was sure that it would be overstepping the mark.

"That's kind of you but the sofa will be fine. You've been kind enough already."

Paul fetched Nico a blanket and said goodnight, it was strangely comforting to have someone else around, and he wondered where Esteban was.

He hoped that Esteban had been lucky with the kindness of strangers as well, since that was all that was getting Nico through.

***

Esteban had survived the war, just. He had ended up in the front line of battle, and he'd earned the nickname 'lucky' because he never seemed to get injured. Not his body anyway, but his mind was reeling with the horrific things that he had seen.

Although they won the war, it didn't feel like much of a victory to him. There were so many mortals killed, and he felt the burden of each and every death. He was sure that Nico was right when he said that they couldn't look after all the mortals. That it wasn't their job to watch over them, they weren't gods and they shouldn't try to play god.

Nico had said that all they could do was not make things worse for the mortals, if they did that, then they were living a good life. Although Esteban wasn't sure that he could call his existence living. Keeping himself away from other people, away from Nico had seemed like a great idea, to live forever and see the world change throughout the millennia.

But he knew that with his immortal life he wouldn't get to experience everything, that he was missing out on the one thing that most mortals spent their life in pursuit of. True Love.

He was sure that Nico was his destiny, his soulmate, if the old legend was to be believed. But he couldn't find him anywhere, not in Copenhagen, not in California, not in any of the places that Nico had told him about. Years passed as he searched for him, he felt like he was going crazy, his mind kept seeing Nico everywhere but it was never him, always just mortals that looked like him.

The world was changing in front of his very eyes, but Esteban saw none of it. Everywhere he went all he saw was the lack of Nico.

***

Nico and Paul had settled into a nice routine, and all mention of Nico finding his own place had been dropped quickly. The sofa was comfy enough, compared to some of the places Nico had slept in the past. And just knowing that someone else was around was a relief, Paul was easy to talk to and he was fond of tall tales. He was a natural barman, used to hearing wild stories without batting an eyelid.

It meant that Nico could relax around him, and if he slipped up he could say that it was a story he'd heard in the pub.

Paul was fascinated by Nico's history knowledge, and he'd spun him a story about being a university drop out who'd studied history, but he was sure that he didn't need to lie around Paul, just be careful with the truth.

They took turns managing the bar, Nico watched it during the day, and then helped Paul when they were busy in the evenings, it worked well and it was enough for their small clientele. They wouldn't have to worry about hiring more staff for a while. Although it was going to take some time to build up business. But that was the one thing Nico wasn't short of.

It had been a quiet night, so quiet that Nico had time to play a round of darts with one of the regulars, and managed to win a pint, which he drank even though he couldn't taste it.

Nico was starting to clear away for the night when a couple of guys burst in, already drunk. Both were short and tubby, but one was bald and the other had black curly hair.

"We're just closing," Paul said, as they staggered up to the bar.

"Come on, just one pint," black haired man said.

"No can do. It's past the time on the licence." Paul was stood ready for a fight, and Nico was inching his way closer to their unwanted guests.

"It's time to go," Nico said softly, he didn't want to startle them, he just wanted them to leave.

They turned to leave but as they walked past Nico, bald guy punched Nico in the face, sending him flying backwards into a table as they ran out of the bar. Paul hurried to lock the door, before coming over to comfort Nico.

"Let's get you upstairs." Paul slung his arm around Nico, helping him to his feet as they wandered upstairs. He didn't feel any pain, it had been a surprise to be hit, but he was relieved it was him rather than Paul that had been injured. Paul felt nice pressed up against him, his skin warm and he could hear his heart beating. Nico ended up sitting on the edge of the bath, while Paul cleared his wound. "There's not a lot of blood, you'll live." Paul laughed and Nico smiled before wincing on cue, making sure that it looked like he was in pain.

One of the many things that he'd learnt during his time as an immortal was how to fake the little things that mortals do, and pretending to be in pain was something that reassured the mortals that he was like them.

"I'll get you an ice pack." Paul gave Nico a kiss on the forehead and his lips felt so warm compared to his cool skin. He returned with frozen peas wrapped in a dish cloth that he pressed to Nico's face. Nico knew that he wouldn't really bruise, that required blood flowing around his body. He would say that it was luck, his glasses taking the worst of the blow and Paul's excellent nursing skills that had healed him, and hope that it would be the end of it.

"Thank you." Nico wanted to hug Paul, but the longer they were in close contact, the more likely it was that he would figure out Nico wasn't like him, or any other mortal.

"You can take the bed tonight, and I'll open up in the morning."

Nico mumbled his thanks before standing up, but he stumbled and fell back down on to the side of the bath with a thump.

"Maybe I shouldn't leave you alone." Paul held Nico's hand tight and Nico could only nod in response, it had been so long since anyone had worried about him. The last people to care about him was his parents, some seven hundred years earlier.

Nico felt dizzy with the sense of time and he nearly fell backwards into the bath, it was only Paul's big strong hands holding him that kept him grounded. He took the peas away from his eye and looked at Paul, his pale brown eyes staring at him and he leant in for a kiss. Warm lips like fire as he took Paul's breath away, listening to him gasp and moan as Nico deepened the kiss, his fingers running through Paul's short hair as their bodies pressed together.

When Paul was breathless and gasping, he stood up, leading Nico to the bed and all of Nico's better judgement was overridden by the bit of him that wanted to be close to someone, to feel a connection.

Paul helped Nico out of his t-shirt, taking care that it didn't catch his glasses or his injured nose, before pressing a gentle kiss to Nico's cheek. Nico was sure that he looked dazed and confused, the one time that his eyes matched what he was feeling internally and he was glad that Paul seemed to be taking control.

He guided Nico to the bed, little kisses breaking the silence as he lay down with Paul kneeling next to him, smiling in a way that made Nico feel that they were the only two people on earth, and it was blissful.

Paul unbuttoned his jeans and Nico marvelled at how easy clothes were to remove in this time period, gone were the clunky awkward garments that required layers of cloth to do the same job as a few flimsy cotton garments. Nico was lost in his thoughts until he heard Paul speaking.

"Are you okay with this? We don't have to." Paul stripped off his clothes, but there was none of the teasing, they were flung on the floor as though he was getting ready for bed. But Nico didn't want to just sleep, and his hard cock was advertising that fact.

"I want to. I want you." Nico grinned, waiting for Paul to crawl his way over to him. He looked like he was bursting with happiness and Nico felt honoured, Paul didn't really smile much, so that fact that he smiled for him was amazing.

Paul straddled him and dragged him into a messy kiss, lips brushing together as Nico felt all of Paul's warm skin pressed against his own, warming his body as Nico arched his back, seeking more friction. He couldn't remember the last time that he felt this good, liberated from his self-imposed exile from society.

Nico listened to each gasp and moan of pleasure from Paul, and wondered if he should reciprocate, but was it worse to fake it rather than staying silent? Nico couldn't decide so he stayed quiet, hoping Paul wouldn't take it as a sign that he wasn't happy with what he was doing.

Paul was doing all the work, kissing his way down Nico's abs, sucking on his nipples before sucking on his cock until he was on the brink of orgasm. He was making enough noise for the two of them and when he finally sank down onto Nico's cock he let out the most beautiful of noises, filled with lust and desire.

Nico held him close as Paul rode his cock, whispering words of encouragement as he threw his head back, letting Nico trail kisses down the side of his neck as he wrapped his hand around Paul's cock, stroking him until he felt his warm come spilling over him, his muscles clenching around him as his own orgasm rippled through him.

Paul was limp and sweaty in his arms, but Nico looked the same, unfazed by their energetic sex. "Was it okay for you?" Paul whispered, and Nico nodded, but he could see that Paul didn't quite believe him.

But how could he explain it to him? He'd never had more than a one night stand with anyone, ever. To have sex with someone that he knew, that he considered a friend, that was all new to Nico.

"It was… nice." Nico knew he'd picked the wrong word, but he definitely wasn't used to talking about his feelings, or relationships.

"Just nice?" Paul licked his lips and his eyes went black. He groaned as he eased himself off Nico's cock, his face contorted as it slid out of him.

He kissed Nico on the lips, a chaste kiss before rolling him over onto his stomach, his fingers dancing over Nico's back as they trailed their way down to his perfect rear and over the soft fuzz surrounding his hole, lightly circling around it as he waited for Nico to relax. Nico felt Paul's warm breath on his skin and he wanted the warmth to envelop him.

Paul's tongue delivered what his fingers had hinted at and Nico found himself moaning with the intimacy of it, the searing heat of his tongue as it dipped inside him. He was pleading for more, wanting the warmth and comfort of Paul's body and when he lined up his thick cock, Nico felt goose bumps appear all over his body, the contrast of cold and hot as Paul slid inside him.

Nico was grasping at the sheets, arching his back so that he could force Paul deeper inside him, angling his body so that he hit that spot each time, the warmth inside him was like a fire warming his soul and he wanted more.

Each thrust had him begging for his release, hovering on the brink of orgasm as Paul pounded away, he could hear that he was getting closer to his own release and when Nico felt a searing hot warmth around his cock, that was all that it took to push him over the edge, whimpering with delight as he shuddered with his climax, clenching around Paul as he slumped over him, rolling them on to their sides so that they didn't have to be separated.

Nico drifted off to sleep quickly with Paul's warm body wrapped around him, their bodies still intertwined as Paul whispered, "You should have said that you wanted to me to top." Nico could hear the grin that he had on his face and he drew Paul's arms around him, kissing at his hands and wrists as he dozed. Unable to talk not because he was breathless but because he didn't know what to say.

Their relationship carried on like this, Nico seeking comfort in the form of Paul, using him to forget about Esteban, but he knew that it was only a temporary solution to his problems. But for now he didn't care, he was glad of the respite.

*

Nico had finished closing up the pub for the night, he was getting ready for bed when he saw Paul sitting on the sofa, surrounded by a stack of papers.

His letters that he'd written to Esteban.

Nico froze in fright, trying to read the expression on Paul's face, wondering how long he'd been here, if he'd read them all.

"I thought I was going crazy, that you must just have a really shallow heartbeat. But you're a vampire, aren't you?" Paul didn't seem bothered by it, more curious than scared or angry.

Nico was stunned into silence, for the first time in nearly a century he had someone to talk to about his situation, and he couldn't find the words to explain.

"I'm not a vampire, I don't want to suck your blood." Nico wasn't sure if being a vampire was any more ridiculous than admitting he was immortal. He wasn't sure how Paul would take it.

"Just other things." Paul laughed at his own joke and Nico felt himself relax, at least Paul wasn't going to freak out on him.

"I'm immortal, but I have no idea why. It was common when I was born, but then less and less immortals were born, until it was just me." Nico intertwined his fingers, he was still standing in the doorway but he didn't want to crowd Paul, and it was nice being in a position where he could run away without being obstructed, although he didn't think he was going to need it. Paul seemed to be accepting all of this without question, he was either humouring Nico, assuming he was crazy, or he genuinely believed him. Nico didn't mind which option it was, as long as he wasn't going to do anything stupid with the information, he would hate to end up taken in by the authorities. Especially since he had no legal documents and no way to prove who he was, at best they'd leave him in a psychiatric institution and at worst… well, that didn't bear thinking about.

He tried to push away his thoughts that Esteban could have been trapped in one of those fates, locked away and unable to get word out to anyone who would understand. Nico tried to read all the crazy theories, see if any of them held any truth, would lead him to Esteban, but they were all dead ends.

"And Esteban." Paul gathered up the letters, holding them out for Nico to take. "I know I shouldn't have read them, but I was curious."

"It's nice to have someone to talk to about it." Nico wasn't sure that nice was the right word, but it was definitely a relief, he had wanted to tell Paul so many times since they'd become intimate. He just never found the right time, the right way to explain it all, so he'd said nothing.

"To live forever without your true love seems like a bad deal to me." Paul looked at the floor and Nico went to sit next to him, Paul knew too much for him to run now.

"Really?" Nico wasn't sure that Paul would be saying that if he had experienced immortality.

"If you'd ever been in love, you'd understand."

Nico was sure that he loved Esteban, with every bit of his soul. He longed to be with him, to see him again. Even though they had only seen each other twice in all of history, he knew that the folk tale was more than just a legend, it was their destiny.

***

People were saying the world was going to end at the turn of the millennium. But Nico was sure that Esteban would be excited for it, he had told him once that for the first few millennia he was alive, all the immortals celebrated together, until one millennium it was just him, and that was when he'd decided to see what else was around in the world.

Nico racked his mind trying to remember the location of the place that Esteban had told him that he used to meet to celebrate the millennium. He had mentioned its original name, but then a couple of years later he wrote Nico a letter saying that he had been back there and it had a new name.

Monterrey.

He looked up flights, but he had one big problem. A passport, he'd been without ID for nearly a decade, drifting around with a fake birth certificate and not a lot else. Nico shook his head in frustration as he realised that the one person he could ask for help, was the one person who was least likely to help him, as it would mean an end to their relationship, if he could even call it that, and it would possibly be the last time that they ever saw each other. Although Nico found the thought of watching Paul grow old distasteful.

October morphed into November and Nico knew that he was running out of time if he was going to get the documents he needed to travel before the millennium. He was getting more and more impatient with the customers, and Paul. Until one night, Paul said, "We need to talk."

Nico was sure that he was going to be fired, told that he'd have to leave and find somewhere else to live. But the way that he was holding Nico, cuddling next to him on the sofa, said otherwise.

"Talk to me. What's going on?" Paul held his hand and Nico wanted to tell him everything, but it all sounded so crazy. "Is this about Esteban?"

Paul was stroking his hair and Nico knew that Paul was the only other person on the planet that could help him.

"I think I know where he's going to be for the turn of the millennium, but I can't get there without a passport." Nico let out a sob, he couldn't believe that he'd existed for centuries, walked across continents before there were aeroplanes, but now, with all the technology that had been developed, he couldn't travel because he lacked documents.

"We'll figure something out. I promise." Paul leant in for a kiss, soft and tender, sealing his promise.

*

There was just a week to the millennium and Nico was starting to fear the worst, the passport system was too complicated to cheat, they'd know that there was no Nico Hülkenberg in the system. It would only alert the authorities to his existence, and they would start asking questions that they wouldn't like the answer to, Nico was sure that if they even suspected he was immortal, there would be a fate worse than death in store for him.

He was about to admit defeat, consider taking out ads in newspapers in Monterrey with his name and address, hope that Esteban saw them and could make his way to him. If he was even going to be there, as the time approached, Nico was less confident about his chances of finding Esteban.

One night, Paul sat and ate his dinner, he'd stopped making food for Nico when he found out that not only did he not need food, but that he couldn't taste it, couldn't enjoy it. When he was finished there was a strange air of anticipation and Nico was expecting it to lead to sex, but when he followed Paul to the bedroom he handed him his passport.

"I know you're going to have to cut and dye your hair, and the resemblance isn't perfect, but it's the best I can do." Paul pressed it into his hand, staring into his eyes as Nico felt tears run down his face.

"Thank you." Nico was stunned at how kind Paul was being but his mind was reeling with the next problem, all the money he had was in cash form, and he was sure that it would look suspicious if he tried to pay for the flights.

"There's a flight on Boxing Day, I'll take you to the airport." Paul stroked his thumb over Nico's cheek, wiping away the tears before leaning in for a kiss. "And consider this your Christmas present."

Nico looked at the little plastic rectangle, Paul's credit card. He was sure that he didn't deserve all this kindness, and he vowed that he would repay Paul for his kindness.

That night they made a mess of the bathroom, dying Nico's blond locks to be a plain brown, and once Paul had cut it, the resemblance to the photo in his passport wasn't bad. Nico just had to hope they weren't being too picky when they checked it.

Nico admired himself in the mirror, standing next to Paul the difference was obvious, but the photo was small and he had the excuse that it was an old one. He felt the tension building, he wasn't going to feel calm until he saw Esteban again.

He made love to Paul, one last time, but he couldn't keep his mind from thinking about Esteban. Even without seeing him for nearly eighty years, he could remember every single detail about him, the way he smiled, his warm brown eyes that were mesmerising, and the softness of his voice.

Paul held him tight and Nico watched over him as he slept, aware that it was the end. He had never felt so conflicted, but he knew that Esteban was his destiny, and nothing could stop them from being apart.

***

With the millennium approaching Esteban was wondering what he should do. People were saying the world was going to end as they did every millennia, even though the whole idea of calendars and dates were arbitrary, and had changed many times over Esteban's life.

He wondered what Nico was doing, where he was, and if this was his best opportunity to meet up with him again. Esteban had told him in their correspondence that he used to celebrate the millennium, but he wasn't sure if Nico would remember that, or what the place was called. He had forgotten so many things in his life time, although he was sure that none of the details Nico had told him were missing, but he would never know.

With the rise of the internet he thought it would make it easier to locate Nico, but there were so many people around that even the advances in technology didn't help him. Also he was sure that Nico probably wouldn't be using the same name. He had ID that was in the name of 'Sergio Pérez' and it had been difficult to get. But without it, he was sure that he would stand out from the mortals, they all had to have these things, prove that they were allowed to exist.

So, the odds are the Nico was probably living under another name, and it was unlikely that he'd take to one of the conspiracy theory chat rooms to discuss a random folk tale that seemed to have slipped out of the public consciousness. But it didn't stop Esteban looking, or hoping. And after all this time, he wished that he'd just let Nico be with him, rather than the bizarre arrangement they had back in the twenties, before war broke out.

He may not have been ready to trade in immortality for love then, but he was ready now. All he had to do was find Nico, and with that he boarded a plane for Monterrey.

***

Nico had spent the entire time worrying about if he would slip up, if they would suspect that he wasn't Paul, but they just kept asking him if he was okay. Each transfer saw him start panicking again, only to relax once they were on the plane, usually just in time to start worrying about the next transfer.

The woman sitting next to him when he boarded his final flight was American, and he considered using his American accent, but times seem to have changed, he didn't feel the need to hide his German accent any more. She introduced herself as Debbie and he told her his name.

"Nervous flyer?" Debbie asked.

Nico wanted to tell her that when he was born, no-one had ever thought of people being able to fly through the air, that even though he'd come to terms with a lot of things over the centuries that he'd been alive, he wasn't sure that he'd ever get used to the feeling of being thousands of metres up in the air in a small metal plane that seemed flimsy. But he couldn't say any of that so he just nodded.

"So are you heading down to Mexico for business or pleasure?" Debbie had a kind smile and she reminded of him someone that he used to know a long time ago, a secretary that had worked at the University of California back in the twenties, she'd had a kind smile too.

"I'm hoping to meet up with an old friend." Nico smiled, he went to fidget with his hair before remembering that it was short now and putting his hands back on his lap. "What about you?"

"I'm going down to help open up a new hotel in Monterrey. I'll manage it until the staff are trained up and then they'll find someone local to take over." Debbie looked at him with a quizzical smile. "Do you have a hotel booked yet?"

"No, I was waiting until I got there to find somewhere." Nico felt like fate was supporting him, making sure that he met people who could help him find Esteban.

"I can get you a deluxe room at a good price, comfy bed and air conditioning." Debbie was chatting away, telling him all about the facilities that the hotel had and Nico was nodding away, he didn't mind where he stayed.

Talking to Debbie helped the time fly by and they got through customs without a hitch, since Debbie was so sociable it was easy, she was telling the passport agent how she'd found her first customer and she laughed, waving them both through with nothing more than a mere glance at the photos.

The taxi ride from the airport showed Nico just how vast Monterrey was as a city and Nico felt all the confidence drain from his body, he was going to struggle to find Esteban in a place this big.

Once he was settled in to his hotel room he took the map of the city and started trying to find any place that looked like immortals would have once gathered there. It was a vague description, he knew that it might have been built on, that it could be a car park or a school now, somewhere ordinary and average, but from the way that Esteban had described it, a place of raw natural energy, he was confident that it might be the same as it was all those millennia ago.

There were several nature reserves, beautiful mountains that had been standing since before people or immortals had crawled out of the sea. But they were so vast and he only had four days before the clock counted down to Y2K.

He decided that he was going to have to forgo sleep, not that he needed it, but there was something nice about having time to relax, if he was going to find Esteban in time.

Nico wished that he had all of Esteban's letters from their correspondence before the war, he had described the place in such detail that he was sure it would help him find the right location in time, but they were long lost, the photo of Esteban was all that remained.

It was late, but he was going to check out the mountains that were close by, hoping that something would jog his memory, bring back a crucial detail that would help him find the spot. Nico couldn't bear to think about if Esteban had decided to go somewhere else for the millennium, one of the places that they'd met before, but this was the only solid lead that he'd had since the war, and he wasn't going to give up on it.

***

Esteban was sitting by the peak of the mountain, watching water flow downhill in the rivers, amazed by how little it had changed in several millennia. Everything else seemed so drastically different compared to the life he once knew, so to have something that was the same, to know that it hadn't changed either was a blessing. It made him feel less alone.

He had sat here for days, watching the water stream down the mountain, continuously flowing the way time did, just as powerful and unrelenting.

During the day his eye was attracted by any blond tourist, but none of them were Nico. It had been a long shot, the idea that Nico would remember this after all these years. But with a lack of anywhere else to go this had seemed the best option, but he wasn't sure any more. He should have headed to Copenhagen, or San Jose, where they had spoken for the first time.

The thought of Nico trying to find him from his previous addresses was painful, was he travelling the world looking for him? Or had he given up hope of ever seeing him again? Waiting until there were less mortals, when they would be the only two people left on earth.

With each passing day Esteban's hope waned, tomorrow the millennium would start again, and Esteban was all alone.

***

Nico had searched several well-known tourist places around the outskirts of the city, all in the mountains but there was no sign of Esteban. He tried to think back to the letters, Nico only had a few hours before the world moved into a new millennium.

He was leafing through the tourist magazine that had been in his hotel room, wondering where he should go next when he saw a mountain which looked like two wolves howling at the moon. That was how Esteban had described it, this grand majestic place that felt like he was on top of the world. No wonder the immortals thought of themselves as gods, if this was where they met up.

Cerro de la Silla.

The only problem, he had just under three hours to go and it was a four mile walk, Nico was glad that he had his running shoes on.

*

Esteban watched as the stars came out, they weren't the same as before, the lights from the city were creating an orange haze that obscured the twilight, but being able to see the place lit up, knowing how it represented all the people living down there, made him feel like a god again.

He put away the papers he was reading, the light too dim to read by anymore, and Esteban sat staring out at the big wide world below him and wondering where on earth Nico was.

*

Nico hadn't seen many people since he left the city, the path was well trodden and even with the limited light he could see well enough to avoid tripping over things, which was useful at the speed he was travelling at.

The further up the mountain he went the more convinced he was that there was no-one else around, that Esteban must have gone somewhere else to celebrate the millennium, if he had bothered to celebrate it at all.

Nico was jogging now, aware that time was running out if he wanted to be there before midnight. It was strangely stressful having a deadline, was this what mortals felt like all the time? But even if it was, it would be worth it to be with Esteban.

The trees were thinning out as he went higher, feeling the air clear, shaking off the smog and haze of the city as he headed towards the highest point of the mountain. He came out of the trees but there was no-one about, and he felt a stab of disappointment as he looked at the empty mountain top.

Nico sat down, looking out over the city as he wondered where Esteban was. He could see why the immortals met here, it really did feel like he was on top of the world, the stars shining above him and the lights of the city twinkling below.

Although it would have just been the stars and the trees when Esteban was here last, before people started to settle down, discover farming and agriculture rather than their nomadic lifestyle. He couldn't imagine a time before there was towns and villages, before there were buildings or huts. Lately he had difficulty remembering a time before cars, or planes. His own history fading into the dark corners of his mind.

But there was one person that he had never forgotten.

"Esteban I love you." Nico shouted it out for the whole world to hear, hoping that it would drift across the globe until it reached Esteban.

"I love you too."

Nico jumped, he turned round to see the one that he had been searching for, after all these years Esteban was here with him.

They walked up to each other, both staring in disbelief as they stopped just out of reach, neither wanting to make the first move, unsure if the other wanted this too.

Nico stared at Esteban as he bit his lip, dragging his eyes over Nico. "I want to be with you," Nico said, leaning in until his lips were just millimetres away from Esteban's, handing control over to him, letting him decide if he wanted to trade immortality for true love.

Esteban's lips were pressed against his and Nico's heart felt like it was going to explode with the way it was pounding in his chest. It was the strangest sensation, having something inside him that throbbed with every beat of his heart, pumping warm blood around his body and letting him feel the chill in the cool evening air.

Nico felt like all his senses were heightened, that every brush of Esteban's lips was as soft as a feather, barely touching as he caught his breath, gasping for air.

He broke the kiss so that he could see Esteban, his cheeks flushed pink and his lips swollen and moist. His eyes were a beautiful deep brown, no longer glassy looking, but warm and soulful. Nico's skin felt like it was on fire, his clothes restrictive as he pulled them off. Esteban did the same, glad that they were alone, his golden skin shone in the star light and Nico marvelled at how beautiful he looked.

Nico place his hand over Esteban's heart, feeling it beat and he smiled, amazed at how human he felt. Soft skin and softer hair, the slight rough edge of stubble around his lips and Nico dived in for another kiss, delighting in the contrast between soft and sharp, deepening the kiss as their naked bodies pressed together, the warmth of Esteban's throbbing cock pressed against his stomach.

He was running on instincts now, none of his trysts with humans had left him prepared for how overwhelming it felt to have your heart rate soar just from the sight of the one he loved, the way his skin tingled when Esteban traced his fingers over every curve of his body and how breathless he'd become, dizzy with love and passion.

It was amazing that humans managed to make love with all these feeling happening simultaneously, taking over every reflex and filling their minds. But it all felt so wonderful, and he couldn't imagine living for all this time without feeling the intensity of life, even if he was paying a high price for it.

Esteban let out a moan of pleasure and Nico wanted nothing more than to hear him make that noise over and over again. He led him down to the ground, passionate kisses that left them both breathless and panting as they lay together on the grass, the cool ground a sharp contrast to the warmth of their bodies.

Nico kissed every inch of Esteban's skin, worshipping him at the altar of the gods, his warm lips on sensitive skin making Esteban squirm until he could wait no longer. Esteban's eyes were wide, the pupils so large that he looked alien and Nico gave him a sloppy kiss before letting his tongue trail its way down Esteban's body to his leaking cock, cleaning up the fluid that was there before taking the tip into his mouth. The taste of it was salty and sweet, the first thing that he had ever tasted and he revelled in this new sensation.

Esteban's hands were grasping at his hair, and Nico could feel every twitch as he moaned out loud, gasping for breath as Nico felt his heart rate quicken. He was begging in a language that not even Nico understood, there was no-one left that spoke it, gone like the rest of the immortals.

He leant up so that he could look at Esteban, so beautiful. "I love you." Esteban's voice was wracked with need and it sent a shiver through Nico's body.

"I love you too." Nico slid inside him, the warmth was like fire and he started to move slowly, their fingers intertwined as they stared at each other, Esteban's head was thrown back and his hair was windswept, his cheeks flushed and his body begging for release.

Every flutter of the heart and breathless gasp had Nico on the brink of orgasm and he wrapped his hand around Esteban's cock, stroking him as he grabbed at the grass with his free hand, arching his back as he shuddered with his climax before going limp, his limbs still tangled with Nico's as he came inside him, whimpering as his orgasm took over before collapsing on top of Esteban, listening to his heartbeat.

The stars danced above them as their breathing became less ragged and their heart rates lowered. Nico rolled them on to their sides so that he wasn't crushing Esteban, now that he was breathing for the first time in millennia he didn't want to squish the air out of him.

Nico placed a little kiss on the end of Esteban's nose, delighting in his smile. "It will be strange to age, see your reflection change." Nico was just thinking out loud, still wrapped up in the fuzzy post orgasm haze of adrenaline and lust.

"I don't think we will." Esteban turned to look at him, seeing the stars reflected in Nico's bright blue eyes. He had spent years finding out more about the story that seemed to show their fate, and he had found new pieces of it. "The legend says that the last two immortals will remain forever young, to watch over the earth for all eternity."

"I guess we'll find out soon enough." Nico leant in for a kiss, even if he was mortal, it was worth it just to be able to listen to Esteban's heart beating in his chest, filled with love for him.

"I guess we will." Esteban laughed and to it Nico was the most wonderful sound, filling him with happiness.

***

Travelling the world with Esteban had changed how he saw the world, they spent years roaming with fake documents that hadn't been difficult to procure. Esteban seemed to be more resourceful than Nico ever was.

They were eating lunch, thick juicy burgers bursting with flavour, the tangy sauce and creamy cheese all dancing on Nico's tongue. He couldn't believe that he'd lived for so long without tasting food. Nico delighted in every meal and he was still amazed at the variety of flavours there was in the world, a seemingly endless combination of tastes for him to sample.

"Where to next?" Esteban asked, smiling as he cuddled into Nico. "We could go to California." He nuzzled against Nico's neck before whispering, "It's been nearly a century since we were there."

Nico couldn't believe how time had flown, he didn't feel any older, didn't look it, but he knew that the mind was prone to playing tricks. He knew there was something that he still had to do, a favour that he had to repay before it was too late.

"I know where we should go."

*

The pub hadn't changed at all, but when Nico stepped inside he could see that although the décor hadn't changed since the nineties, its owner definitely had.

"What can I get you?" Paul's smile was deeper, more heavily lined than it was nearly twenty years ago and his hair was speckled with grey, but his soft voice hadn't changed a bit.

"I came to return these." Nico handed over Paul's passport and credit card, both long expired and no doubt Paul cancelled them after the millennium.

Paul stared at him, studying his eyes. Nico knew that he looked different to the last time he was here.

"Nico?" Paul shook his head in disbelief and Nico didn't know what to say. "You haven't changed." Paul ran his fingers through Nico's long blond locks, they'd taken a while to grow back in. "Didn't you find Esteban?"

"Hi." Esteban waved, although he was the only other person in the pub. Business hadn't picked up in the two decades that he'd been gone.

"How are you still young?" Paul was feeling at Nico's skin, warm now that blood was flowing through his veins, resting his hand over Nico's heart to feel it beat. "And you…"

Nico smiled, he saw the picture of Paul's family behind the bar, and he was glad that he'd found happiness too. "Pour us a drink and I'll tell you everything."

**Author's Note:**

> *and obviously none of this actually happened, it is all a figment of my twisted imagination ;)


End file.
